croydon_birdersfandomcom-20200214-history
Other Wildlife
Use this page to record sightings of species other than birds that may be of interest to others. Please note that records submitted to this website will be shared with the RSPB Croydon Local Group and may also be submittted to the London Natural History Society wildlife recorders. Do not post records on this website unless you are happy for them to be shared with the other organisations mentioned here. Bird sightings can be viewed and reported on the Latest News page. Regular contributors identified below by only initials are - John Birkett (JB), Gavin Hawgood (GH),John Hughes (JAH), Mike Netherwood (MJN), Alan Pearson (AJP) and John Watson (JW). Butterfly records You are encouraged to post all records of butterflies in Croydon on this site. We are cooperating with the Butterflies of London project, who will use our data to help monitor their distribution. Certain sites are regularly surveyed, but many of our open spaces and gardens are not. Every little helps. July 2018 * 1st - Lloyd Park (10:30 - 14:30). Circuit of north fields on a warm sunny day. Butterflies: Large White (12 No), Small White (18), Brimstone (1), Holly Blue (5), Purple Hairstreak (4), Comma (3), Dark-green Fritillary (1), Speckled Wood (3), Meadow Brown (160+), Ringlet (170+), Marbled White (9), Large Skipper (14), "Smessex" Skipper (7, inc 1 confirmed Small Skipper). Dragonflies: Emperor (3), Broad-bodied Chaser (1). (John Parish) June 2018 * 29th - South Norwood Lake (9am): 2m Purple Hairstreaks (1 drinking on ground, the other in oak tree) (JW per GH) * 29th - South Norwood Country Park: Painted Lady. (JAH) * 26th - Hutchinsons Bank (11:00 - 15:00): Butterfly count during a walk around the reserve in warm sunshine:- Large White (7no), Small White (2), Brimstone (4), Small Blue (8), Common Blue (12), White Admiral (1), Comma (4), Silver-washed Fritillary (2), Dark-green Fritillary (1), Marbled White (290), Meadow Brown (90), Ringlet (200), Small Heath (5), Speckled Wood (6), Large Skipper (23). (John Parish) * 24th - South Norwood Country Park: 27 Marbled White (JAH) * 23rd - South Norwood Country Park: In recent years one or two Marbled Whites have been seen in the Park but this year they are here in greater number. Today 5 seen in one small area near the mound. (JAH) * 21st - Addington Hills (08:45 - 13:30): Other wildlife encountered during monthly bird count: Bracken higher than my head along some paths. Roe Deer (doe & fawn). Emperor Dragonflies (5 no). Butterflies:- Holly Blue (2), Meadow Brown (47), Ringlet (5), Small Heath (2), Speckled Wood (6), Large Skipper (14). (John Parish) * 13th - Lloyd Park (08:00 - 12:30): I added butterfly counting to my monthly bird count around the park. Result:- Large White (1 No), Holly Blue (1), Common Blue (1), Small Copper (1), Red Admiral (2), Meadow Brown (68), Speckled Wood (12), Large Skipper (7). (John Parish) * 13th - Queen's Rd Cemetery (Thornton Heath) (12-2pm): very poor butterfly count, given the favourable weather conditions (22°C, mostly sunny, no wind): Small White (2), Large Skipper (1) (GH) * 10th - Hutchinsons & Chapel Banks: Butterflies recorded during guided Orchid Walk (11:15 - 15:00) Large White (1), Small White (2), Brimstone (15), Green Hairstreak (1), Small Copper (1), Small Blue (100s on the vast scrape on Slimming's Down - now covered with kidney vetch; 20+ elsewhere), Holly Blue (2), Adonis Blue (1 fem), Common Blue (46), Red Admiral (1), Comma (2), Meadow Brown (22), Ringlet (3), Small Heath (8), Speckled Wood (14), Dingy Skipper (10 still), Large Skipper (5). (John Parish) * 8th - Selsdon (Selsdon Rd area) (late pm): nectaring Hummingbird Hawk moth (Joel Butler - JW's grandson - per GH) * 8th - Farthing Downs: Common blue, brimstone, small heath and small white butterflies. (JB) * 8th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 2 pairs of large red damselflies ovipositing, 2 azure blue damselflies, speckled wood.(JB) * 2nd - Lloyd Park, 0930: Sun breaking through for the first time and a few Longhorn Moths (Nemophora degeerella) were dancing. Only Butterflies seen by this time were Small Heath and Speckled Wood (one of each). (John Parish) May 2018 * 28th - Coombe Lane area (nr Heathfield Pond) (pm): small water feature produced Large Red Damselfly (several), Common Blue Damselfly (several) & Broad-bodied Chaser (2) (Sheila Mason per GH) * 21st - Wandle Park: Male broad-bodied chaser. (JB) * 20th - Hutchinsons Bank (13:30 - 1630) : Butterflies:- Large White (2), Small White (5), Orange Tip (2), Brimstone (23), Holly Blue (7), Common Blue (10), Small Blue (28 - 15 of these within 5m of sw gate from Bridle Way to Slimming's Down), Green Hairstreak (1), Small Heath (9), Comma (1), Peacock (1), Speckled Wood (9), Dingy Skipper (9), Grizzled Skipper (2). (John Parish) * 18th - Lloyd Park (08:00 - 13:00): Butterflies:- Small White (3), Orange Tip (1), Holly Blue (1), Comma (1), Painted Lady (1 at 11:45), Speckled Wood (5). Also 14-spot Ladybird (black spots/yellow ground form). (John Parish) * 17th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Large red damselfly, blue-tailed damselfly, holly blue. (JB) * 8th - Queen's Rd Cemetery (Thornton Heath) (early pm): Small White (10), Green-veined White (2), Brimstone (1m), Holly Blue (2) (26°C) (GH) * 7th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road). Female muslin moth, brimstone, orange tip. 5+ frogs and 5+ newts in pond. 2 large red damselflies. (JB) * 7th - Chapel Bank and areas of Hutchinsons Bank not visited on 5th May (10.45 - 15:15): Slow Worm (1 - on path into Hutch Bank from tram stop); Butterflies:- Large White (8+), Small White (2+), Orange Tip (8+), Brimstone (50+), Holly Blue (9), Green Hairstreak (11), Peacock (6), Speckled Wood (5), Grizzled Skipper (1), Dingy Skipper (1). (John Parish) * 5th - Hutchinsons Bank (10:30 - 14:30): Common Lizard (1); Butterflies:- Large White (1+), Small White (9+), Orange Tip (16+), Brimstone (50+), Holly Blue (c30), Green Hairstreak (3), Peacock (3), Comma (1), Small Tortoiseshell (3), Speckled Wood (12), Grizzled Skipper (2); Ferns:- several examples of Common Adder's Tongue. (John Parish) * 5th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Orange tip, holly blue, speckled wood, small white & large white butterflies, large red damselfly, bee fly, hairy-footed flower bee. 3 frogs, 3+ newts in garden pond5). (JB) * 5th - Riddlesdown: Peacock butterfly. (J&CB) * 4th - Shirley Park Golf Course (07:00): 1 female Roe Deer. (John Parish) * 4th - Lloyd Park (09:30 - 10:00): Small White (3), Brimstone (2), Holly Blue (3), Speckled Wood (6), Meadow Saxifrage in flower. (John Parish) * 4th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1pm): Small White (8), m Brimstone (1), Holly Blue (5) (20°C) (GH) * 3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 2 hairy-footed flower bees on pulmonaria, 1 tree bee, 1 bee fly, many small hoverflies of forget-me-nots, small white butterfly. Many newts in garden pond. (JB) * 1st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (2pm): Small White (2), Holly Blue (2) (10°C) (GH) * 1st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Male brimstone. (JB) April 2018 * 26th - Park Hill Park (10:00-11:00): Butterflies:- 3 Holly Blue, 2 Speckled Wood. Bees:- A variety of small dark bees entering the numerous holes in the mortar of ancient brickwork around the herb garden beside the southwest corner of the grassed area. I believe Blue Mason Bees were present but unable to identify any others. (John Parish) * 19th - Lloyd Park (14:15-16:15): 5 Small White, 3 Orange Tip, 3 Brimstone, 5 Holly Blue, 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Comma, 3 Peacock. (John Parish) * 19th - Outside East Croydon Medical Centre, Addiscombe Road (11:30): Small White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue. (John Parish) * 19th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1pm): Peacock butterfly feeding on dandelion (foy) (27°C) (GH) * 18th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (8am onwards): Small Tortoiseshell feeding on dandelion, Small White, f Brimstone & Holly Blue through (all foy) (21°C) (GH) * 15th - Hutchinsons Bank (work day): 1 Viviparous (Common) Lizard. 1 Comma, only butterfly of the day. (John Parish) * 14th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (3.45pm): female Hairy-footed Flower bee Anthophora plumipes feeding on red dead-nettle (foy) (GH) * 13th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Several buff-tailed bumblebees feeding on pulmonaria in front garden. (JB) * 11th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (8.45pm): significant Common Pipistrelle activity through back gardens this evening (9°C) (GH) * 8th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 10+ newts getting friendly in garden pond. (JB) * 6th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 terrapins. (John Kirby by email) * 5th - Lloyd Park (08:30 - 12:30): A Weasel near the LP/Shirley Park Golf Course boundary. Also butterflies: 4 Brimstone (all male), 1 Peacock, 2 Comma. (John Parish) * 5th - New Addington (Birch Wood) (12.30pm): male Brimstone through (Michael Hampton per GH) * 5th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12pm): male Brimstone through S (11°C) (GH) * 3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 4 newts, 1st seen this year in garden pond. (JB) March 2018 * 26th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 1st wasp of year, queen buff-tailed bumblebee, 2-spot ladybird, brimstone butterfly. (JB) * 26th - Queen's Rd Cemetery, Thornton Heath (12.30pm): 1 Red Admiral & a queen Buff-tailed bumblebee through (GH) * 23rd - Addington Hills: Large deposit of frog-spawn in one of former ponds at eastern end of restored wood pasture area. No water in ponds, just damp moss and grass at base! (12:00-12:30): Small Tortoiseshell in heathland area, male Brimstone inside well-shaded mixed woodland, and queen Red-tailed Bumblebee inspecting leaf-litter in area of beech woodland. (John Parish) * 21st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (10am): Red Admiral N through back gardens (6°C) (GH) * 16th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1pm): Queen Buff-tailed bumblebee through back gdns (GH) * 15th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (6.15pm): 1/2 Common Pipistrelles (foy) foraging through the back gardens (11°C) (GH) * 15th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (2.15pm): Comma (foy) wafted S through garden (12°C, sunny) (GH) * 15th - Sanderstead, Briton Hill Road: small unidentified hoverfly in garden. (JB) * 13th - Sanderstead, Briton Hill Road: Bumblebee in garden. (JB) * 13th - Hutchinsons Bank (work day): (11:55) Male Brimstone, first of the year. (John Parish) * 6th - Sanderstead, Briton Hill Road: Frog in garden pond; first of the year. (JB) February 2018 * 26th - Wandle Park: 2 water voles. (Sue Henning by email) * 18th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Buff-tailed bumblebee in garden. (JB) * 16th - Sanderstead (West Hill): 6+ bees (yellow-legged mining bees, andrena flavipes?) feeding on snowdrop flowers. (J & C B) * 16th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) 11.30am): queen Buff-tailed bumblebee through garden (8°C) (GH) * 7th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Unidentified bee sp (believed buff-tailed) in garden. (JB) January 2018 * 14th - Lloyd Park: (13:00) Fresh female Roe Deer carcass (partly butchered - hind-quarters removed) lying outside the scout camp on track between Coombe and Oaks Farms. (John Parish) * 8th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) 2.30pm: Large bumblebee queen (probably Buff-tailed) flying rapidly S through garden (4°C) (GH) * 2nd - Kings Wood: More molehills; different part of wood from yesterday. (JB) * 1st - Kings Wood: Fresh molehill.(JB) Archived Other Wildlife Records Other Wildlife 2018 Other Wildlife 2017 Other Wildlife 2016 Other Wildlife 2015 Other Wildlife 2014 Other Wildlife 2013 Other Wildlife 2012 [[Archived Records|'Full Archive']]